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"Who is your enemy? Mind is your enemy. Who is your friend? Mind is your friend." -Buddha
This quote, attributed to the Buddha, clearly shows how we think can either help us or hurt us. So the next time you face a problem, don't do this: don't add to the problem. Just deal with the problem as it is. Use your mind constructively not destructively to help resolve the issue at hand.
-Victor M Parachin, Think Like the Buddha
This quote, attributed to the Buddha, clearly shows how we think can either help us or hurt us. So the next time you face a problem, don't do this: don't add to the problem. Just deal with the problem as it is. Use your mind constructively not destructively to help resolve the issue at hand.
-Victor M Parachin, Think Like the Buddha
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We have a responsibility to control the mind. When the mind is focused on right thoughts, right actions, right words, right effort and right understanding, its impact can be enormous. The opposite is equally true. A focus on evil, greed, jealousy and self-interest can have a horrific impact. We all need to make time to quiet the mind and place our focus on healthy, wholesome thoughts.
-Victor M Parachin, Eastern Wisdom for Western Minds
-Victor M Parachin, Eastern Wisdom for Western Minds
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Some people go through life believing they are serving when they are merely helping. Why? Because serving arises out of humility while helping can emerge from superiority.
Some people go through life believing they are kind when they are merely nice. Why? Because niceness often emerges out of a need to be liked. . . . Kindness arises spontaneously and without motive. . . .
Some people go through life practicing tolerance but never inclusiveness. Why does this happen? Because tolerance contains judgment. If someone says to us, "I am tolerating you," we would not feel that as a warm affirming position. However, when we hear the phrase "you're included!" we recognize that as welcoming.
Become mindful of these mind forgeries.
-Victor M Parachin, Think Like the Buddha
Some people go through life believing they are kind when they are merely nice. Why? Because niceness often emerges out of a need to be liked. . . . Kindness arises spontaneously and without motive. . . .
Some people go through life practicing tolerance but never inclusiveness. Why does this happen? Because tolerance contains judgment. If someone says to us, "I am tolerating you," we would not feel that as a warm affirming position. However, when we hear the phrase "you're included!" we recognize that as welcoming.
Become mindful of these mind forgeries.
-Victor M Parachin, Think Like the Buddha
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"If you place your mind on thoughts that are based upon compassion and wisdom, that's what the mind will become familiar with." -Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche
The above quote is provocative because it raises this vital question: "What's my mind 'familiar' with?" If you'd like to begin with our culture, ask the question differently: "What's familiar to the mind of people in our society?"
The answer is as quick as it is obvious: violence, anger, greed, frustration, even rage. These are so "familiar" to the mind that they are easily, quickly, and readily triggered by the smallest of issues. The concepts that are not familiar to the minds of many people in our culture are wisdom, compassion, kindness, civility, etc.
The concept that we become what we think was first taught by the Buddha, who succintly said, "All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think, we become." . . .
Here is a meditation to explore mind familiarity.
- Sit comfortably and quietly.
- Focus on your breathing for a few moments by saying "In" on the inhalation and "Out" on the exhalation.
- Ask yourself, "What is my mind 'familiar' with?"
- Pause to see what comes up: anger or acceptance, greed or geerosity, cruelty or kindness.
- Conclude with the resolve to make your mind more "familiar" with virtues associated with compassion and wisdom. Do this by repeating affirmations like these:
--- I act compassionately to all.
--- I respond with kindness to all.
--- I see the best in each person.
-Victor M Parachin, Sit a Bit
The above quote is provocative because it raises this vital question: "What's my mind 'familiar' with?" If you'd like to begin with our culture, ask the question differently: "What's familiar to the mind of people in our society?"
The answer is as quick as it is obvious: violence, anger, greed, frustration, even rage. These are so "familiar" to the mind that they are easily, quickly, and readily triggered by the smallest of issues. The concepts that are not familiar to the minds of many people in our culture are wisdom, compassion, kindness, civility, etc.
The concept that we become what we think was first taught by the Buddha, who succintly said, "All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think, we become." . . .
Here is a meditation to explore mind familiarity.
- Sit comfortably and quietly.
- Focus on your breathing for a few moments by saying "In" on the inhalation and "Out" on the exhalation.
- Ask yourself, "What is my mind 'familiar' with?"
- Pause to see what comes up: anger or acceptance, greed or geerosity, cruelty or kindness.
- Conclude with the resolve to make your mind more "familiar" with virtues associated with compassion and wisdom. Do this by repeating affirmations like these:
--- I act compassionately to all.
--- I respond with kindness to all.
--- I see the best in each person.
-Victor M Parachin, Sit a Bit
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At the end of your day or even at the beginning of a new day, go back and review the previous 24 hours asking yourself:
- What was I thinking? (then pause to review)
- Why was I thinking that? (again, pause to review)
- What was the result of those thoughts? (pause again to review)
Conclude by reminding yourself, "I am not my thoughts and I have the power to choose and change my thoughts."
-Victor M Parachin, Sit a Bit
- What was I thinking? (then pause to review)
- Why was I thinking that? (again, pause to review)
- What was the result of those thoughts? (pause again to review)
Conclude by reminding yourself, "I am not my thoughts and I have the power to choose and change my thoughts."
-Victor M Parachin, Sit a Bit
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Too often we have "monkey minds" which do not consider carefully enough the consequences of an action before it is taken. While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of those actions. That is the law of Karma which operates through the universe. People have experienced tremendous sadness because of careless thinking and acting saying "I didn't mean for it to turn out like this." The way to avoid such troubles and tragedies lies in mind management. It is important to think things through, consider all options and take the most skillful action. Only then are the odds in our favor that the consequences will be positive rather than negative and disappointing.
-Victor M Parachin, Buddhist Wisdom for Beginners
-Victor M Parachin, Buddhist Wisdom for Beginners